Just Paul being Paul

Scripture:

Acts 26: 28-29
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?” 
29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

Observation:

Paul is so compelled to share his faith and 

to persuade others that the hope he has found in 

Jesus Christ is for them too, that he sounds crazy at 

times to those listening. 

But, Paul doesn't mind what others think.

 

He has been set free from placing his worth in the 

hands of others and what they think or say about him. 

He has been set free from the desire to try to control all things and set free set free to share the joy that has been revealed to him.

Amazingly, Paul's freedom persists even when he is detained or locked up. 

That is a robust freedom worthy of being shared, and so share it he does.

Application:

What threatens to weigh you down today? 

What threatens to tie you in knots?

For me, it is the tendency to take on too many things at once. It is exhilarating at first, but soon I find myself checking and double checking my schedule making sure that I don't let anyone down.  

For me, it is paralysis-by-analysis. I fail to act boldly in the face of wide-spread, systematic injustices because they just seem too big for my efforts to make a difference.

When I begin to despair, or fret and fuss, I can almost hear 

Paul whispering, 

"you believe in the resurrection, I know you do...so why not 

believe that it is for You too?

Prayer: 

Yes, Lord! Make us instruments of your peace, and light unto the world. Infect us we pray, with an enthusiasm to share the good news that sets people free from all sorts of snares and chains. Amen..